/*
 * $Header$
 * $Revision: 2662 $
 * $Date: 2006-02-18 06:20:33 -0800 (Sat, 18 Feb 2006) $
 *
 * ====================================================================
 *
 * The Apache Software License, Version 1.1
 *
 * Copyright (c) 1999-2001 The Apache Software Foundation.  All rights
 * reserved.
 *
 * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
 * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
 * are met:
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 * 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
 *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
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 * 3. The end-user documentation included with the redistribution, if
 *    any, must include the following acknowlegement:
 *       "This product includes software developed by the
 *        Apache Software Foundation (http://www.apache.org/)."
 *    Alternately, this acknowlegement may appear in the software itself,
 *    if and wherever such third-party acknowlegements normally appear.
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 * 5. Products derived from this software may not be called "Apache"
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 * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED
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 *
 * This software consists of voluntary contributions made by many
 * individuals on behalf of the Apache Software Foundation.  For more
 * information on the Apache Software Foundation, please see
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package org.apache.commons.cli;

/**
 * A class that implements the <code>CommandLineParser</code> interface 
 * can parse a String array according to the {@link Options} specified
 * and return a {@link CommandLine}.
 *
 * @author John Keyes (john at integralsource.com)
 */
public interface CommandLineParser {
    
    /**
     * Parse the arguments according to the specified options.
     *
     * @param options the specified Options
     * @param arguments the command line arguments
     * @return the list of atomic option and value tokens
     * @throws ParseException if there are any problems encountered
     * while parsing the command line tokens.
     */
    public CommandLine parse( Options options, String[] arguments )
    throws ParseException;

    /**
     * Parse the arguments according to the specified options.
     *
     * @param options the specified Options
     * @param arguments the command line arguments
     * @param stopAtNonOption specifies whether to continue parsing the
     * arguments if a non option is encountered.
     * @return the list of atomic option and value tokens
     * @throws ParseException if there are any problems encountered
     * while parsing the command line tokens.
     */
    public CommandLine parse( Options options, String[] arguments, boolean stopAtNonOption )
    throws ParseException;
}